US10974684B2 - Multi-chambered driver-side airbag assemblies - Google Patents

Multi-chambered driver-side airbag assemblies Download PDF

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US10974684B2
US10974684B2 US16/290,370 US201916290370A US10974684B2 US 10974684 B2 US10974684 B2 US 10974684B2 US 201916290370 A US201916290370 A US 201916290370A US 10974684 B2 US10974684 B2 US 10974684B2
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inflation
inflation chamber
supplemental
primary
chamber
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US20200276953A1 (en
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Mark L. Enders
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Autoliv ASP Inc
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Autoliv ASP Inc
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Assigned to AUTOLIV ASP, INC. reassignment AUTOLIV ASP, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ENDERS, MARK L.
Priority to CN202010101021.8A priority patent/CN111703395B/zh
Priority to DE102020105076.3A priority patent/DE102020105076A1/de
Publication of US20200276953A1 publication Critical patent/US20200276953A1/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • B60R21/231—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
    • B60R21/233—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
    • B60R21/203—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components in steering wheels or steering columns
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/20—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
    • B60R21/205—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components in dashboards
    • B60R21/206—Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components in dashboards in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • B60R21/231—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
    • B60R21/23138—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration specially adapted for side protection
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • B60R21/231—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
    • B60R21/2334—Expansion control features
    • B60R21/2338—Tethers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R2021/003—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks characterised by occupant or pedestian
    • B60R2021/0039—Body parts of the occupant or pedestrian affected by the accident
    • B60R2021/0051—Knees
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R2021/161—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • B60R21/231—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
    • B60R2021/23107—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • B60R21/231—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
    • B60R2021/23169—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration specially adapted for knee protection
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • B60R21/231—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
    • B60R21/233—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other
    • B60R2021/23308—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • B60R21/231—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
    • B60R21/233—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other
    • B60R2021/23324—Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
    • B60R21/16—Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags
    • B60R21/23—Inflatable members
    • B60R21/231—Inflatable members characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
    • B60R21/2334—Expansion control features
    • B60R21/2338—Tethers
    • B60R2021/23382—Internal tether means

Definitions

  • Airbag cushions are often configured to provide protection to a vehicle occupant's knees.
  • the contours of this region of a vehicle often introduce difficulties that can render deployment kinematics less than ideal.
  • the steering column and/or steering column shroud on the driver's side of vehicles create large gaps on either side of the steering column in between the driver's knees, the steering column/shroud, and the adjacent panel. These gaps may cause many airbag cushions to pivot a driver's legs, deflect, or otherwise perform in an undesirable manner.
  • the inventive concepts disclosed herein may therefore allow for a driver's side cushion to be deployed to provide improved protection to the driver's knees and/or lower extremities by occupying these gaps.
  • these gaps may be occupied by one or more supplemental inflation chambers, which may be applied to an airbag cushion by way of a patch that may be fluidly coupled with a primary inflation chamber by way of one or more slits or other openings.
  • the airbag cushion assembly may comprise an inflatable cushion configured to be deployed adjacent to a vehicle steering column to provide protection to a driver's lower extremities during an impact event.
  • the inflatable cushion may comprise a primary inflation chamber, a first supplemental inflation chamber fluidly coupled with the primary inflation chamber and configured to deploy on a left side of the vehicle steering column adjacent to the driver's left lower extremity, and a second supplemental inflation chamber fluidly coupled with the primary inflation chamber and configured to deploy on a right side of the vehicle steering column adjacent to the driver's right lower extremity.
  • the first and/or second supplemental inflation chambers may be defined by patches applied to a panel of the cushion.
  • Some embodiments may further comprise one or more tethers, such as preferably internal tethers, which may extend between the first supplemental inflation chamber and the second supplemental inflation chamber.
  • the tethers may comprise one or more openings and may therefore serve as functional baffles.
  • the first and second supplemental inflation chambers may comprise elongated chambers extending along longitudinal axes at least substantially parallel to each other.
  • the internal tether may extend in a direction at least substantially perpendicular to one or both of these longitudinal axes.
  • first supplemental inflation chamber and the second supplemental inflation chamber may be fluidly coupled with the primary inflation chamber by way of one or more inflation slits configured to allow for inflation gas to enter from the primary inflation chamber.
  • the first and second supplemental inflation chambers may extend along respective longitudinal axes and may each comprise a length extending along its respective longitudinal axis. In some such embodiments, each of the inflation slits may extend at least substantially the entire length of its respective supplemental inflation chamber.
  • one or more of the internal tethers may extend between the first supplemental inflation chamber and/or the second supplemental inflation chamber without extending into or beyond the inflation slits and/or without extending into or beyond the structure defining the external walls of the first and/or second supplemental inflation chambers.
  • Some embodiments may comprise a plurality of internal tethers, wherein each of the plurality of internal tethers extends between the first supplemental inflation chamber and the second supplemental inflation chamber without extending into or beyond the inflation slits and/or without extending into or beyond the structure defining the external walls of the first and/or second supplemental inflation chambers.
  • the first supplemental inflation chamber may not be directly fluidly coupled with the second supplemental inflation chamber.
  • the module may comprise an inflator and an inflatable cushion, which may comprise a primary inflation chamber coupled with the inflator such that the inflator is configured to directly inflate the primary inflation chamber, a first supplemental inflation chamber fluidly coupled with the primary inflation chamber so as to be inflated indirectly from the inflator, and a second supplemental inflation chamber fluidly coupled with the primary inflation chamber so as to be inflated indirectly from the inflator.
  • Some embodiments may further comprise one or more internal tethers, which may extend between the first supplemental inflation chamber and the second supplemental inflation chamber.
  • Some embodiments may further comprise a first inflation opening, such as one or more slits or holes, configured to deliver inflation gas from the primary inflation chamber to the first supplemental inflation chamber and a second inflation opening configured to deliver inflation gas from the primary inflation chamber to the second supplemental inflation chamber.
  • a first inflation opening such as one or more slits or holes, configured to deliver inflation gas from the primary inflation chamber to the first supplemental inflation chamber and a second inflation opening configured to deliver inflation gas from the primary inflation chamber to the second supplemental inflation chamber.
  • the internal tether(s) may extend at least substantially an entire distance between the first inflation opening and the second inflation opening without extending into or beyond the first inflation opening or the second inflation opening and/or without extending into and/or beyond the structure defining the external walls of the first and/or second supplemental inflation chambers.
  • the first inflation opening may comprise a first slit, which may extend along an axis of the first supplemental inflation chamber
  • the second inflation opening may comprise a second slit, which may extend along an axis of the second supplemental inflation chamber.
  • the first inflation opening may comprise a plurality of slits, such as spaced slits extending along an axis of the first supplemental inflation chamber
  • the second inflation opening may similarly comprise a plurality of slits extending along an axis of the second supplemental inflation chamber.
  • the internal tether(s) may extend in a direction at least substantially perpendicular to one or both of the longitudinal axes of the first and second supplemental inflation chambers.
  • the elongated axes of the first and second supplemental inflation chambers may extend in directions at least substantially parallel to each other.
  • the assembly may comprise an inflatable cushion configured to be deployed adjacent to a vehicle steering column to provide protection to a driver's knees and/or other lower extremities during an impact event.
  • the inflatable cushion may comprise a front panel and a rear panel coupled with the front panel.
  • a plurality of tethers may extend between the front panel and the rear panel so as to, in some embodiments, define a thickness of a primary inflation chamber and/or shroud portion of the cushion.
  • the shroud portion may be configured to deploy adjacent to a vehicle steering column shroud during deployment.
  • the cushion may further comprise a left knee portion configured to deploy adjacent to a driver's left knee during deployment.
  • the left knee portion may comprise a thickness greater than a thickness of the shroud portion, which in some embodiments may be due to the presence of one or more supplemental inflation chambers, which may define the thickness of the left knee portion along with a primary inflation chamber.
  • the cushion may further comprise a right knee portion configured to deploy adjacent to a driver's right knee during deployment.
  • the right knee portion may also comprise a thickness greater than a thickness of the shroud portion, which in some embodiments may also be due to the presence of one or more supplemental inflation chambers defining the thickness of the right knee portion along with a primary inflation chamber, such that the left knee portion and the right knee portion extend into regions to the left and right, respectively, of the vehicle steering column shroud.
  • the left knee portion comprises a first supplemental inflation chamber fluidly coupled with a primary inflation chamber; and the right knee portion may comprise a second supplemental inflation chamber fluidly coupled with the primary inflation chamber.
  • first supplemental inflation chamber and/or the second supplemental inflation chamber may be positioned external of the primary inflation chamber and may be fluidly coupled with the primary inflation chamber via respective inflation openings.
  • the shroud portion may be wholly defined by the primary inflation chamber, the left knee portion may be partially defined by the shroud portion and partially defined by the first supplemental inflation chamber, and the right knee portion may be partially defined by the shroud portion and partially defined by the second supplemental inflation chamber.
  • FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of an airbag assembly according to some embodiments with internal components of the airbag cushion shown in phantom;
  • FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of the airbag cushion of the airbag assembly of FIG. 1 showing external patches used to form supplemental inflation chambers that may be used to protect a driver's knees and/or lower extremities;
  • FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the airbag cushion of FIG. 2A showing the patches coupled to an external surface of the cushion;
  • FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the airbag cushion
  • FIG. 3B is a perspective, cross-sectional view of the airbag cushion
  • FIG. 3C is another perspective, cross-sectional view of the airbag cushion with the cross section taken in between the two supplemental inflation chambers;
  • FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the airbag assembly following inflation
  • FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional, perspective view of the airbag assembly of FIG. 4A following inflation and showing various internal components in phantom;
  • FIG. 5A depicts the interior of a vehicle including an airbag module comprising an exemplary embodiment of the airbag cushion
  • FIG. 5B depicts the interior of the vehicle shown in FIG. 5A following deployment of the airbag cushion
  • FIG. 5C is a top plan view of the vehicle interior following deployment
  • FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional, perspective view of an airbag assembly according to other embodiments following inflation and showing various internal components in phantom;
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an airbag cushion for use in connection with airbag assemblies according to still other embodiments.
  • the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result to function as indicated.
  • an object that is “substantially” cylindrical or “substantially” perpendicular would mean that the object/feature is either cylindrical/perpendicular or nearly cylindrical/perpendicular so as to result in the same or nearly the same function.
  • the exact allowable degree of deviation provided by this term may depend on the specific context.
  • the use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result.
  • structure which is “substantially free of” a bottom would either completely lack a bottom or so nearly completely lack a bottom that the effect would be effectively the same as if it completely lacked a bottom.
  • the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be “a little above” or “a little below” the endpoint while still accomplishing the function associated with the range.
  • FIG. 1 depicts an airbag cushion assembly 100 according to some embodiments.
  • Airbag cushion assembly 100 comprises a housing 110 further comprising an inflator 111 configured to inflate an airbag cushion 120 comprising a plurality of chambers fluidly coupled with one another.
  • airbag cushion assembly 100 is configured comprises a cushion 120 configured to be deployed adjacent to a vehicle steering column to provide protection to an occupant's (most typically a driver's) knees and/or other lower extremities during an impact event.
  • inflatable cushion 120 comprises a primary inflation chamber 122 , a structure (in the depicted embodiment, a patch 130 a ) defining a first supplemental inflation chamber 132 a (see FIG.
  • FIG. 1 depicts airbag cushion 120 in an uninflated state, the dimensions of the inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b —which in preferred embodiments are configured to deploy on left and right sides, respectively, of a vehicle steering column adjacent to a driver or other occupant's knees—following inflation are not yet apparent.
  • these chambers are preferably configured to deploy so as to fill the space on opposite sides of a vehicle steering column to provide stability and/or enhance the protective impact to the driver's or other occupant's knees and/or other lower extremities.
  • supplemental inflation chambers may be configured to enhance desired inflation/deployment characteristics about another component of a vehicle.
  • Airbag cushion assembly 100 further comprises a plurality of internal tethers 124 .
  • Tethers 124 may comprise openings 125 and may therefore further serve functionally as baffles in some embodiments.
  • Tethers 124 may also be configured to define a preferred structure for the cushion 120 .
  • tethers 124 may be coupled within the primary inflation chamber 122 in between a first panel 121 and a second panel 123 of cushion 120 .
  • Tethers 124 may thereby define a thickness of at least one or more portions of primary inflation chamber 122 of cushion 120 .
  • one or more of tethers 124 extend between the structures (patches 130 a and 130 b , for example) defining first supplemental inflation chamber 132 a and second supplemental inflation chamber 132 b and/or the supplemental inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b themselves. This may be preferred for a variety of reasons, such as allowing for inflation of supplemental inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b without impedance caused by the means (sew lines, for example) with which tethers 124 are coupled with cushion 120 .
  • each of supplemental inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b may be coupled with primary inflation chamber 122 by way of slits 126 a and 126 b , respectively, that may be formed in panel 121 of cushion 120 .
  • These slits 126 a / 126 b extend along respective longitudinal axes of their respective patch 130 a / 130 b .
  • slits 126 a / 126 b extend at least substantially the entire length of its respective supplemental inflation chamber 132 a / 132 b .
  • supplemental inflation chambers may be used, such as a series of spaced slits or other openings.
  • openings may define a hole, which may have dimensions similar in shape and/or size to the inflation chamber through which such hole will ultimately deliver inflation gas.
  • Providing one or more slits and/or holes may allow for precision control over the inflation of the supplemental inflation chambers. For example, by controlling the length, positioning, and/or other dimensions of the slits/openings, various embodiments of the invention may be finely tuned according to the contours, such as the steering column shroud and/or instrument panel, of each particular vehicle in accordance with desired inflation characteristics.
  • Some embodiments may further allow for tuning by altering the depth (measured in a direction away from the primary inflation chamber in knee airbag embodiments) of the various supplemental inflation chambers. For example, by increasing the depth sufficiently, the primary inflation chamber may be lifted away from the steering column shroud and/or instrument panel by a desired amount, which may be beneficial in more severe impact events without requiring increased inflation gas pressure as may otherwise be needed. In some embodiments, this may allow for providing this benefit without requiring that the depth/thickness of the primary inflation chamber be altered. By appropriately controlling slit/opening sizes to delay inflation of the supplemental inflation chambers vis-à-vis the primary inflation chamber, this benefit may be achieved without impacting positioning time.
  • one or more (in some embodiments, all) of the internal tethers 124 extend between first supplemental inflation chamber 132 a and second supplemental inflation chamber 132 b without extending into or beyond the inflation slits 126 a and 126 b , respectively.
  • This may facilitate an easier manufacturing process and/or improve desired inflation characteristics as it may allow for sewing or otherwise coupling tethers 124 to one or more of the panels defining primary inflation chamber 122 without sewing or otherwise coupling through the structures defining the supplemental inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b and/or without closing a portion of slits 126 a / 126 b .
  • one or more (in some embodiments, all) of the internal tethers 124 may extend between the inner peripheries of patches 130 a / 130 b or another suitable structure defining first supplemental inflation chamber 132 a and second supplemental inflation chamber 132 b without extending into or beyond those structures so that tethers 124 do not interfere with the inflation of and/or ultimate inflated characteristics of the supplemental inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b.
  • slits or other openings may be spaced apart and may therefore allow for extending a tether beyond these limits.
  • a series of spaced supplemental chambers may be formed on both sides of cushion 120 so as to collectively define a single structure for filling in the gap on one side of a steering column shroud or other structure.
  • tethers may extend within the primary inflation chamber past the spaced supplemental chambers along portions of the cushion corresponding with spaces between these spaced supplemental chambers.
  • supplemental inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b comprise elongated chambers extending along longitudinal axes that may be parallel, or at least substantially parallel, to each other.
  • one or more (in some cases, all) of the internal tethers 124 extend in at least substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of supplemental inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b.
  • some of the internal tethers 124 may be positioned within primary inflation chamber 122 at a position beyond the periphery of slits 126 a / 126 b and/or the full periphery of the respective supplemental inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b.
  • FIGS. 4A and 4B depict airbag cushion 120 in an inflated state, including primary inflation chamber 122 and supplemental inflation chambers 132 a and 132 b .
  • tethers 124 may help define the structure of the inflated airbag cushion by forming a series of tube-like structures between the opposing sides of the cushion perpendicular to, or at least substantially perpendicular to, the supplemental inflation chambers 132 a and 132 b .
  • gas flow between these various sub-portions of primary inflation chamber 122 is relatively unimpeded, which may be enhanced by providing openings 125 in one or more of tethers 124 , as previously mentioned.
  • some embodiments may comprise one-way valves to control pressure inside one of more of the various inflation chambers.
  • some embodiments may comprise one or more fabric layers positioned within one or more of the supplemental chambers that may be configured to seal the slit(s) or other opening(s) that deliver inflation gas into the supplemental chamber(s) once a threshold pressure within the supplemental chamber(s) has been reached.
  • An example of such a valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,827,939 titled AIRBAG WITH INDIVIDUALLY TUNABLE COMPARTMENTS, which is hereby incorporated by specific reference herein in its entirety.
  • FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate an example of a preferred deployment of airbag cushion 120 from a module 100 , which may be positioned below a steering column shroud 50 to protect the lower knees/extremities of a driver 10 or another vehicle occupant.
  • FIG. 5A illustrates a configuration prior to deployment and
  • FIG. 5B illustrates a configuration following a deployment resulting from an impact event.
  • airbag cushion 120 may inflate so as to extend along and protect the lower legs of driver 10 .
  • One of the two opposing patches defining opposing supplemental inflation chambers 132 a / 132 b , namely patch 130 a is illustrated as extending along the left side of steering column shroud 50 so as to occupy the gap between the steering column shroud and the panel below the dashboard.
  • patch 130 a and its corresponding inflation chamber are illustrated as relatively small, cushion 120 may be manufactured to provide any shape/size of supplemental inflation chambers as needed in accordance with the dimensions of this area of the vehicle as desired.
  • FIG. 5C illustrates a top view of airbag cushion 120 following deployment and better illustrates both patches 130 a and 130 b forming supplemental inflation chambers that, respectively, extend into the spaces on the left and right sides of steering column shroud 50 to enhance the stability of airbag cushion 120 and/or improve its ability to provide protection to the knees and/or other lower extremities of the adjacent vehicle occupant.
  • the size, shape, and dimensions of the supplemental inflation chambers may vary as desired in accordance with the dimensions of the vehicle space within which the supplemental inflation chambers will extend. It is also contemplated that alternative embodiments may be configured to inflate toward the driver/occupant's knees and/or lower extremities rather than towards the vehicle panel adjacent the steering column if desired.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an airbag cushion assembly 600 .
  • Airbag cushion assembly 600 differs from assembly 100 in that, as shown in the drawing, slits 626 a / 626 b only extend a short distance along their respective supplemental inflation chambers 632 a / 632 b , respectively.
  • supplemental inflation chambers 632 a / 632 b may, if desired, be formed from respective patches 630 a / 630 b that may be coupled to primary inflation chamber 622 of airbag cushion 620 .
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another airbag cushion 720 that may be used in other airbag cushion assemblies according to still other embodiments.
  • cushion 720 again comprises a primary inflation chamber 722 defined by opposing panels 721 and 723 and a plurality of structures, such as patches, defining a plurality of supplemental inflation chambers.
  • cushion 720 comprises two adjacent patches on both opposing ends of one side of the cushion 720 that define separate supplemental inflation chambers that may be functionally coupled so as to together define a structure for providing suitable spacing and/or separation with vehicle structures such as a vehicle steering column shroud.
  • one side of cushion 720 comprises a first pair of adjacent supplemental inflation chambers defined by a pair of adjacent patches 730 a / 730 c fluidly coupled with the primary inflation chamber 722 , and another pair of adjacent supplemental inflation chambers defined by a pair of adjacent patches 730 b / 730 d also fluidly coupled with primary inflation chamber 722 .
  • supplemental chambers By providing a series of spaced supplemental chambers on both sides, unique shapes and/or features of particular vehicles may be better accommodated. Although not visible in FIG. 7 , it also be understood that this spacing may also allow for internal tethers within primary inflation chamber 722 to extend past one or more of the supplemental inflation chambers on both sides of the cushion through the spaces in between the adjacent supplemental inflation chambers.
  • the adjacent supplemental inflation chambers may extend at least substantially along a single line on both ends of the cushion, as depicted in FIG.
  • supplemental inflation chambers 7 may be curved or angled to extend towards different directions, which, again, may allow for directing the supplemental inflation chambers along and/or spacing the primary inflation chamber away from various features within a vehicle, such as oversized steering column shrouds, instrument panel features, and the like.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)
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CN202010101021.8A CN111703395B (zh) 2019-03-01 2020-02-19 多室驾驶员侧气囊组件
DE102020105076.3A DE102020105076A1 (de) 2019-03-01 2020-02-26 Fahrerairbaganordnungen mit mehreren kammern

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DE102020105076A1 (de) 2020-09-03
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CN111703395A (zh) 2020-09-25

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